10 Things To Do Before You Leave College

Well… the end of an era is coming, but did you really do everything you wanted too? Have you made the best out of all the benefits college gives you? You don’t want to leave college realizing you could have made your experience that much better. If you haven’t done these things yet, I suggest you start now. Especially if you’re in your last semester!

1.Thank your friends for quite possibly giving you the best four years of your life.

When you enter your freshman year of college you have both literally and figuratively left your family from your hometown, the family you were born into and the family of friends you’ve had your entire life. Somehow upon entering this new home, you’ve stumbled upon a group of friends that accepts your weird accent, your weird hometown habits, and your crazy personality. These strangers somehow made you feel at home right away, and made the transition turn from petrifying to exciting. They’ve seen you at your worst as well as your best, and still somehow never left your side. If you’ve read this and thought of someone; it is time to thank them right now.

2. Sit down at your favorite spot on campus with a friend, and go through a flashback of all the things you’ve done over the past 4 years.

After all the craziness you’ve encountered over the last four years, you have undoubtedly forgotten about some of the things that have gone down. Grab your best friend who has been there with you through it all, and just sit in the middle of campus with them. Play the remember when game, you will be surprised at how much she could remember that you forgot. I can promise you a day full of laughter, and maybe a little embarrassment.

3. Thank the professors that have actually made an impression on you.

We’ve all had those professors that nearly bore you tears. We’ve all had those professors that you will never have a connection with because you have completely different views, or because they come into class without a real plan everyday. But what about the professors that have actually made an impression on you? These are the professors that are leading you where you want to go in life. They are looking out for your best interest, and your future means just as much to them as it does to you. This is rare this happens, and this is why it is completely necessary to say a simple “Thank you”. These professors should have expanded your mind, or turned you in a direction that was better for you. Without you even knowing, they could have made one of the biggest impacts in your life.

4. Have a giant sleepover with your friends.

This is the last time in your life that you will live in this close of proximity to the rest of your friends. How could you not take advantage of that? This time next year, we will all be in completely different spots with our lives. We will no longer be able to go out on weekdays, or therefore see each other every weekend. We will all make separate groups of friends, or end up back in our hometown with our old friends. Make as many memories as possible with the friends you have now.

5. Eat at your favorite local spot as often as possible.

You are in the last year of being able to wake up at 12:45 P.M., and order a breakfast sandwich over the phone, just to crawl back into bed. Sad to say, but not many towns have a place like this right around the corner. Right now, your diet might be telling you to stay away from it. But, think about how much you’ll regret it four months from now when your craving that breakfast sandwich that you can no longer order.

6. Take a nap whenever you get the chance.

When will you be able to nap everyday in the middle of the day again?! We will most likely all be working 7-5 jobs or so. We won’t be able to stay up all night anymore, knowing that we have an 8 A.M. in the morning but can nap after because our next class isn’t until 4:00. Our whole day is about to be spent in an office, so soak up those ZZZ’s while you can!

7. Talk to your “secret class crush”

That kid that has been in your classes for the last couple years that you’ve been constantly staring at and secretly crushing on, is about to be out of your life for good. Unless of course, you take the initiative for a simple “hello”. Maybe it won’t go anywhere, or maybe it will. But either way, looking back on that boy when your older will put a pain in your chest knowing that things could have gone differently if you just stood up and said a simple word. If not love, maybe a great friendship will come from it. Start taking the chances before your college days run out.

8. Explore the surrounding areas

Every college campus has something beautiful around it, whether it’s an ocean, a city line, mountains, or a beautiful park. One day in the future, you will tell someone where you went to college and they will ask you about a beautiful spot. You will sit there in “awe” wondering why you’ve never gone there before. Explore the beautiful buildings, the woods, the museums, all historical landmarks, and adventure into the abyss.

9. Abuse all the perks you get from having a student ID

We’re college students, we are expected to be broke. Once we leave college, we are expected to have a good job and enough money to pay off college loans month by month. We are supposed to be “functioning members of society” if you will. No longer can we get 50% off for college students, so buy everything you can for a discounted price when you still can.

10. Do something completely out of your boundaries, frowned down upon by all school officials.

College is about exploring and pushing the boundaries. Before you leave, you have to do at least one thing that no one but your friends would approve of. Later in life, you’ll laugh about it and it will make for a great story. So go streaking, have sexual relations in a study room, funnel a beer in the library, or do something that gets your heart pumping out of your chest. Believe me, the adrenaline rush is worth the story.